CHARLESTON — Freeport sprinter Ashley Simmons has crept into the state-medal picture — and she didn’t stop with just one event.

As the senior heads to Charleston for the girls state track and field meet, which starts for the Class 2A qualifiers on Friday, she’s just where she wants to be: running her very best in both the 100- and 200-meter distances.

“She’s just a naturally gifted athlete, and she knows how to get herself ready for the big one,” Freeport coach Dave Roloff said. “She’s as strong as she can be at the high school level. She knows what’s in front of her, and she wants it.”

Simmons is seeded third in the 200 after running a personal-best time of 25.73 at sectionals, and she is also in the 10th spot for the 100 after a PR of 12.71 last week. To top it off, she’s a big part of the 800 relay team that is seeded eighth, running the second leg, which is where Roloff likes to put his speedster.

“Most coaches go a different way, but I like getting that lead with the second leg and going from there,” Roloff explained. “If we can get Ashley out front, and give the rest of the girls that extra motivation of holding onto it, that can really work for us.”

Her teammate Ellie Willging is another state-title contender, and she has more than one shot as well. Willging, the school record holder in both distance events and a state medalist in each two years ago, is seeded fourth in the 1,600 at 5:18.71 and fifth in the 3,200 with a time of 11:13.77.

“She’s in better shape, mentally and physically, than ever,” Roloff said. “She’s very aware of what her body can do, and what she needs to do to get to her goal. She’ll run a strategically strong race, that much I know.”

Willging placed fourth in the two-mile and fifth in the mile at state her sophomore season.

Another Pretzel runner, Lakonka Collins, is seeded ninth in the 400 at 59.15, and with the top 12 prelim times advancing to Saturday’s finals, there could be a trio of Freeport runners aiming for medals on the final day.

Boylan heads into the 2A state meet with the third seed in the 3,200 relay (9:38.54), the sixth seed in the 1,600 relay (4:07.13) and an 800 elay squad on the bubble, seeded 15th (1:47.93). Delaney Appino’s time of 2:22.61 in the 800 puts her 15th, and Bridget Bishop’s toss of 36 feet, 7 inch toss in the sectional shot put places her in the lower-half of the state field.

Page 2 of 2 - With a sectional make at 9-foot-9, Winnebago freshman Cameryn Baldwin is seeded ninth in the pole vault, and her teammate Cheyenne Moore has some ground to make up to place in the 3,200 run, where her 11:13.77 has her seeded low.

Class 3A

While Patrice Jones gave up her 400-run state slot because she chose graduation over Saturday’s finals, she is in the mix in the long jump, seeded ninth at 17-11 3/4. She’s a part of the 1,600 relay squad that had the sixth-fastest sectional time (4:01.04) as well.

The most interesting races for the local track fans is the half-mile and mile, where three NIC-10 runners find themselves right in the thick of things. Belvidere North freshman Jenna Lutzow is seeded ninth in the 800 (2:16.75) and 17th in the 1,600 (5:09.89).

Hononegah’s Nicky Althoff is 17th (2:18.92) in the 800 while Harlem’s Allison Hartman is 19th (2:19.38), and Auburn’s Janelle Ferguson is seeded 20th (5:11.43) in the 1,600, while North’s Carley Lutzow is right behind her at 22nd (5:11.99).

Harlem’s Audi Nichol has the 14th seed in the discus (124-2). North’s Carley Lutzow also qualified with an 11:10.38 in the 3,200 (16th), and her freshman teammate Gabrielle Napper is seeded 20th in the 100 (12.71). Rockford East’s Grace Bitangalo will try and soar her best in the long jump, where she is seeded 25th at 17-2.

Class 1A

Oregon’s Shannon Cullen is seeded third in the shot put (39-0) and fifth in the discus (120-2), while teammate Kelsey Hildreth has the state’s No. 1 time in the 3,200 (10:32.02), and she’s seeded 13th in the mile (5:26.84). Oregon’s Cydney Long has the third-fastest 100 high hurdle time (15.48) and the 15th-fastest 300 hurdle time (48.28).

Christian Life’s Erin Farley seeks a podium spot, holding the seventh seed in the long jump (17-0) as well as low seeds in pole vault (8-0) and triple jump (32-10 1/2). Her teammate Courtney Sockwell is seeded 12th in the 100 (12.90) while Byron’s Paige Holloway is eighth in the high jump (5-3) and Rockford Lutheran’s Claire Mesa is the 11th in the 800 (2:23.12).